MEF is a global industry association of network, cloud, and technology providers. Together, we drive network transformation to power the digital economy. We provide a framework for digital service providers to develop, monetize, and scale services across an automated, inter-connected ecosystem.
Our mission is to develop a global federation of network, cloud, and technology providers to establish dynamic, assured, and certified services that empower enterprise digital transformation. The engine powering this mission is our MEF 3.0 Global Services Framework, based on the 4 pillars of: Services, LSO APIs, Community, and Certification.
MEF 10th Anniversary Celebration – 2011 – Nan Chen at the Podium
In 2001, MEF was founded as a non-profit international industry consortium and was originally dedicated to Carrier Ethernet networks and services. Starting in 2015, MEF dramatically broadened its scope of work to include additional underlay connectivity services such as optical transport and IP, as well as overlay services such as SD-WAN. Then, MEF tackled orchestration and automation head-on with its Lifecycle Services Orchestration (LSO) framework and its related interface reference points and APIs.
Shortly after Y2K, a group of smart, passionate, dedicated people—some partners; some suppliers; some competitors—came together to solve an industry problem: a rapidly expanding application of a LAN technology called ‘Ethernet,’ in the WAN. A technology that was being sold as a service with no ability for the subscriber to compare offerings and select what best fit their needs. Lack of common terminology, service attributes, and definitions made off-net connectivity a bespoke, case-by-case partnering exercise. These problems delayed implementation and business.
But, together, this group of people transformed this great technology into a viable, business-class, implementation-agnostic connectivity service standard. Accelerated by the integrity of industry certification, it empowered service providers to deliver standards-based, assured, high-speed, lower cost connectivity services that easily spanned multiple provider domains. That service was Carrier Ethernet; these people formed MEF and created the globally-adopted Carrier Ethernet Standards.
Then, came the digital transformation…. MEF quickly and resolutely broadened our scope to address the modern enterprise’s need for more agile, dynamic and automated connectivity services, digital services and beyond. Be In the Industry. Engage with MEF.
MEF 10th Anniversary Celebration – 2011 – Contributor Awards
MEF LSO Introduced – 2015 – Nan Chen
MEF’s success and growth are rooted in two factors:
Led by an annually member-elected Board of Directors, MEF functions with a set of committees aligned across its major areas of focus, including but not limited to: services, LSO, and certification. Members pay an annual membership fee to participate, collaborate, and lead the various projects in support of MEF’s mission.
Industry stakeholders, working together to establish dynamic, assured, and certified digital services.
Meet MEF's MembersThe industry-leading Board of Directors and Officers driving MEF’s success.
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